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Bram Causefobrel Presents:
A Pokemon Biome Event:
Tracking through the Mud:
A Summer Solstice Celebration

Part 1

           “You w-ant me to w-w-w-“
           “Work, yes.”
           Late evening light filtered through the window, into the hotel manager’s office. It glinted off the polished wooden surface of her desk, catching Rabbit’s eye and making her squint at the glare. She stood before that desk, watching the hotel manager, Mrs. Namsek, with close knit brows. Her eyes flickered over the room, looking for any respite that might tell her she was being played a cruel prank. All they fell on, however, was natural, wooden furniture, some growing out of the very walls and floor, molded from the still living wood. Plants draped from almost every surface, pots hanging from the ceiling on naturally formed hooks. Their contents flourished in the rich sunlight that was let in during the day when the skylight was uncovered, cared for with an affection most would reserve for their own children. Nestled among them and hanging from a high corner was a woven hammock, which Rabbit’s eye trailed to.
Over her time working at the Treetop she’d woken in that hammock more often than she cared to admit, having fallen asleep on the job as frequent as she did. It had become a place of safety for her, and now, after the nightmares that had given her such fitful rest the night previous, she couldn’t help but regard it with a longing eye.
           “The wait staff is short for the solstice event. Flora got called away on vacation by her parents, and I need someone reliable to fill in. I know you’re capable, Rabbit. You’ve filled in for the waiters on short notice before, and I’ll make sure you’re mostly serving instead of taking orders,” Mrs Namsek said. She’d pulled a pitcher of water from under her desk and begun fussing with some of the plants, brushing away at them. Nearby, on a little fluffy bed just for it, her ledyba gave a yawn and shifted in its sleep.
           Grimacing, Rabbit leaned forward and chewed at her lower lip. “M-Miss… Ma-a’am. I… I know I’ve f-filled in b-before, b-but… Th-this is the s-olstice f-f-festival! I-I can d-o something sh-ort n-notice s-sometimes, b-but this is…”
           “One of the busiest weeks of the year, I know,” Mrs. Namsek looked up, flashing Rabbit a reassuring smile. “Which is why it’s important that I have you serving at least a few of the nights. We’re going to be jam packed, and if we’re shorthanded we’ll need as many people as we can get. I even have Laila working with you. I’ll be handling the front desk with Winry in her place.”
           “I-I’m n-not a s-server, though!” Rabbit protested. “Th-the kitchen n-needs me, d-don’t they? I-if I’m n-not th-there, wh-who’s gonna b-be doing p-p-p… They’re gonna n-need a…”
           “Prep!” A voice called out, making Rabbit flinch and look up into the jungle of plants above her head. She’d forgotten Iggs was out of her pokeball. The colorful little bird had taken roost in one of the pots and was looking down at her with a curious but otherwise blank expression.
           “Y-yeah, th-at…” Rabbit said, a tired waver in her voice.
            Mrs. Namsek took a moment to return her attention from the chatot, her lips pulled into a grimace, looking a little worse for wear after the surprise. “Francisco can… He can go a day or two without you, Rabbit. He’s done it before, after all. And if you’re that worried, you know you’re allowed to come in early to help out. Shorthanded is shorthanded, after all.”
            “M-rs. Namsek…” Rabbit said, pleading, but the woman was already shaking her head.
            “Rabbit I need you on this. We’re going to be under pressure as is, and I need as few hold ups as I can get. With you I know the likelihood of you dropping a plate or spilling food is next to none. I know you’re scared, but you’ve been making progress in leaps and bounds lately, and you’ll be allowed to have Iggs and Korso with you at all times. I have full confidence that you can do this. You’re allowed to say no, but I would be incredibly grateful if you agreed to do this.”
            The two met eyes, and it was all Rabbit could do to keep from ripping her gaze away. Mrs. Namsek had been good to her over the years. Even with all the problems Rabbit could cause she’d been steadfast in the young woman saying on and making her feel as welcomed as she could. Even with her odd sleeping tendencies the usual reaction was to set her up in the hammock or a spare room and let her sleep it through. Now she was needed more than ever. With all that in mind she simply couldn’t refuse.
           Letting out a sigh, Rabbit lowered her head and gave a dejected nod.

***************

           “So, how’d it go?” Laila grinned at Rabbit as she crossed the distance between them in the back room with only a few strides. She’d been in the middle of changing into her regular clothes after a shower, and her hair still hadn’t been pinned back and wrapped under her hijab. Candy blue stands of it that matched Rabbit’s own pink were colored dark with damp that still hadn’t dried, and was pressed almost flat against her head. It resisted against the laws of gravity with its curly nature, but could do little with the excess weight of water, just managing to make ripples along her scalp.
           “W-what?” Rabbit blinked up at her friend, more than half a foot taller than herself. She was all of a sudden aware of the uncomfortable sticky feeling on her skin, and the fact that Laila was wearing little more than a bra and underwear. Maybe she could be convinced to take another shower? Both their shifts were over after all.
           “You were talking with Norah, right? How’d it go?”
           “M-mrs. Namsek?” Rabbit grimaced, looking uncomfortable. “Y-yeah I t-alked to her… H-how did you n-know that?”
           “She talked to me too, remember?” Laila grinned, slipping into a pair of pants while Rabbit’s hopes slipped down a bit further. “I may have mentioned you as well. Or at least hinted that getting someone who is really cute and dexterous was probably a good idea…”
           “W-wait, w-what?” Rabbit rounded on Laila, advancing with one pointed finger. Y-you mean y-ou’re the reason M-rs. Namsek c-called me t-to w-work the h-oliday shi-ift!?”
           Despite herself Laila was still grinning, holding her hands up defensively, hijab hanging from a thumb. Her brows knit together in a guilty expression and she leaned away from her shorter friend.
           “Awh c’mon, Rabbit! It’s no biggie! You know it’s way more fun to work with a friend than to get conscripted into some job with people you don’t really know. The only waitress I know is Hailey, and that’s more like I got in a battle with her and she lost so now she owes me fifty poke.” None of what Laila said was helped by her guilt ridden grin, but she wasn’t backing down, either.
           Rabbit glared at her for a moment, cheeks puffed up in anger, before blowing out a sigh and slumping forward. “F-iiiiine,” she groaned. With a tug at her work uniform, she stripped down and let it drop to the floor. Even as prep, working in a kitchen was hot and exhausting.
           “B-but you owe me,” Rabbit said, turning the pointed finger on Laila again.
           “Sure thing, babe, anything you ask.” Laila didn’t even try to hide how her eyes ran up and down Rabbit’s body, or the grin spreading across her lips. Rabbit returned the stare with a half lidded, flat look of her own, before grabbing Laila’s hand.
           “Y-you’re t-aking a sh-ower w-with me,” she said, dragging the taller woman with her.
           “What-? Awh- I just took one, Rabbit!” Laila protested, stumbling along behind.
           “T-too bad. Y-ou’re the o-one who s-said a-anything I a-ask!” Rabbit stopped in her tracks, staring down at the floor, feeling her face go hot. “I-I mean you d-on’t have to… I j-just thought it’d b-be n-nice…”
           “Rabbit!” Laila’s voice broke through, and Rabbit looked up, realizing Laila was gripping her hand with as much strength as she had been moments before. “It’s fine, really. I was just giving you a hard time. It’s been hot today, I wouldn’t mind another shower.”
           A grin to match Laila’s own spread across Rabbit’s face. She grabbed Laila’s other hand and started walking backwards, pulling her friend along. “C-c’mon, then! S-slowpoke!”
           “Ohhh noooo!” Laila groaned, digging her heels in and only barely hiding her smirk. “My legs have gone like jelly after all that work todaaaaay! I can’t move I’m gonna fall I’m gonna-“ She cut out into a burst of laughter as Rabbit pulled her forward, off balance, and caught her, returning the smile.
           “Hi there,” Laila grinned.
           “H-hey,” Rabbit smiled back. She let out a squeak as Laila leaned forward and kissed her, and the two fell backwards into the shower, giggling all the way down.

***************

           Wood shavings fluttered to the deck of Rabbit’s front porch. With each movement of her knife they curled at her fingertips, brushing against her skin. At the end of the stroke they fell away, joining the rest in a little pile at her feet. Every motion was mechanical, her eyes running up and down. The little knife flashed in the setting summer sun, its heat pleasant on her dark skin. Each slide forming a scraping rhythm that she fell into like breathing. The smell of fresh cut yew met her nose, mixed with the usual smells of the forest around her, and she felt herself smile. A pause, and she raised a glass to her lips, lemon iced tea, herbal and tangy, with just a touch of sweet.
           A burst of mischief and golden sparkles flickered in her mind as she set down the glass. Rabbit let out a yelp and lifted her feet as a little white body crashed into the pile of wood shavings. Curly wood flew everywhere, tossed this way and that as the furry creature writhed among them. As sudden as it had started all movement froze for a moment as the ralts stared off at nothing in particular, his lanky body held tense, and his ears twitching. Then, he turned to her with beady little eyes and gold and salmon joy blossomed in her mind and he went back to playing.
           Smiling, Rabbit adjusted her grip on the long block of wood she’d been carving, moving it out of his way. Her knife pressed against the flesh of the block once more and she resumed her activity. Each shaving that fell was snapped at by Korso in his joyous dance, and each one brought another twinkle to her eye.
           Nearby there was a small chuff of exhaled breath. It came from the form of the big ninetails with her curly fur, lounging in a pseudo slumber under the eaves of Rabbit’s hut of a tree house. As she heard it, Rabbit glanced up to find Laila walking down the way, a bag under one arm, whistling to herself. Flickers of light danced around her, telling Rabbit that Skai was out of her pokeball and accompanying her friend.
           “Hey! Rabbit! Franny called me, wanted me to ask if you’d be helping cook at Heart Home tonight. They’ve got the champ back in town,” Laila said with a waved greeting.
           An image of Rabbit’s own shoulder flickered through her mind. A frown crossed her face and she stuck out a leg, Korso clambering up to find perch next to her head, her eyes never leaving Laila. “C-coulda called m-me,” she said. “D-didn’t need y-you to t-trouble yourself.”
           “Well he said he did, but you weren’t picking up,” Laila stopped on the porch, leaning over to pick up the cell phone left on a chair nearby. “Yep, you set it to silent again and forgot about it,” she said, tapping at its see through surface. “Seriously, Rabbit, you need to upgrade. This phone is, like, five years old.”
           Cheeks flushing, Rabbit busied herself with her wood carving. “I l-like it, th-ough.”
           “Doesn’t mean there aren’t waaaay better ones out there. Yours doesn’t even have holographic capabilities. I remember you came back from the tundra babbling about how cool those were, and they sent a shipment of the newest prototypes a week ago. I could get you one, if you want.”
           “L-last time you d-id that I b-broke it…” Rabbit picked at a wood shaving that had gotten stuck in her sock as Korso nuzzled her cheek. “I w-wouldn’t wanna p-p-“
           “PUT!” Iggs shrieked from a perch in the trees, making both Rabbit and Laila jump.
           “R-right, uh… Th-at… Except, n-o… I m-ean, y-you sh-shouldn’t be d-oing stuff like th-at for m-me if it’s j-ust going to g-get b-broken…”
           “Yeah, except they need walking tech bane like you in order to better understand how to keep the delicate parts from breaking. Honestly you’re doing them a service,” Laila grinned, Skai’s electric current flickering around her fingers as she tapped at the phone. Every once in a while a flash of teeth or a strange looking eye would appear, only lasting for a fraction of a second before disappearing once more. Rabbit shuddered, leaning away. On her shoulder, Korso made a little spitting noise, and scrambled down, looking all the world like mercury flowing down Rabbit’s side.
           “So, you coming to help cook or not? Cuz they needed you there, like, three hours ago,” Laila said, looking up and regarding Rabbit with a grin.
           “Shit,” Rabbit’s eyes went wide. She was on her feet in a moment, brushing any remaining wood shavings from her lap.
The door to her house slammed behind her as she dashed inside. Jarres stood up from her spot and gave a luxurious yawn, showing off a curling tongue and quite a few disconcerting, white teeth as a clattering arose from Rabbit’s hut. Each of her tails was given special attention, stretched and shaken individually as Laila gave a grin and squatted next to her.
           “Hey there, Jarres,” she said, ruffling the fox Pokemon behind her ears, which the ninetails leaned into. “Wanna meet with your dad today?”
           At Laila’s question Jarres pulled away and shot the tall woman an unimpressed look, positively brimming with disgust.
           “Alright, I get it,” Laila chuckled. “Yeah he’s not the easiest to get along with, is he?” Jarres snorted, letting out a lick of flame from her nostrils, as if to comment on Laila’s under exaggeration, and Laila let out another chuckle.
           “Still, I know even if you two don’t get along great, he does appreciate seeing you. He appreciates all his kids, even if he sucks at showin’ it.” Jarres’ expression didn’t change, and Laila gave a shrug in response. “Alright, was just asking.”
           Something crashed from inside the hut, and Laila stood, a look of concern on her face.
           “Hey Rabbit, everything alright?” She asked, eyeing the door handle.
           “F-fine! J-j-just kn-ocked over my s-screen. D-did a d-domin-no effect and t-toppled some-“
           “POTS!” Iggs piped in from atop the roof.
           “Yeah th-those!”
           Laila eyed the hut for a moment longer, before shrugging. “Well so long as you’re-“ She didn’t get to finish the sentence, however, as the door swung open.
           The taller woman’s eyes went wide and her jaw dropped as she spotted Rabbit standing just inside the frame. She wore her hair back in a braid she’d put it in to keep it out of her face for wood carving, her bangs on the right side left to hang free and cover the cigarette burns on her brow. Now, however, it was accompanied by a blue, strapless dress, the murkrow feather hair clip Rabbit had made a few months ago, and her usual golden locket. She’d touched up her makeup in record time as well, giving a soft glow to her dark skin, topped off by glossy red lips.
           “Arceus, Rabbit, I thought you were just gonna help cook…”
           “I’m w-working the f-festival! I d-don’t g-et to d-dress up how I w-wanna. Th-this is my o-only ch-chance to do something f-fancy this s-eason,” Rabbit explained, taking Laila’s arm and leading her away.
           Korso bounced along beside Rabbit and Laila, looking happy as could be. Rabbit could feel a message pass between him and Jarres. The ninetails stretched again before taking Rabbit’s woodcarving project in gentle jaws and slipping down into the platform beneath Rabbit’s house. Above, Iggs noticed her human leaving, and took flight to follow, always eager for a little bit of exercise and exploration.
           “You know there will be plenty of chances to dress up fancy than just this,” Laila quipped as the two of them walked arm in arm. Their footsteps echoed against the raised, wooden platforms and pathways that made up Iuthar village.
   Said pathways traversed the treetops, some aligning with and resting upon branches underneath them, but just as many hanging freely if not for the many woven vines keeping them aloft. Huts much like Rabbit’s own could be seen here and there, although some of them were much bigger than hers. They sported multiple levels, and extra rooms. Patios and decks could be seen on some of them, some even with pools or hot tubs built in.
   Those were the ones that made Rabbit’s eyes go wide in wonder at how anyone could live in such a giant place without getting lost. She’d always been fonder of the respectable homes built for families than the huge mansions. They were more common, as well. On most occasions no more than a single story, with enough rooms to survive but no more. She’d wanted one of her own, someday. She had to admit, however, that they weren’t as eye catching as the mansions…
   “Earth to Rabbit. Anyone in there?” Laila snapped her fingers in front of Rabbit’s eyes.
   The shorter woman blinked, drawing her eyes away from one of the larger buildings. “W-wha-?”
   “Mew’s left nut, but you’re out of it today. I was saying you don’t need an excuse to dress up like this. You can do it anytime you want, you know?”
           Rabbit flushed, looking away. “I n-know…” She mumbled, reaching up to thumb at the golden locket around her throat. “B-but it d-doesn’t f-feel as r-real if it’s n-ot for an ev-v-vent or s-omething.”
           “And what if it’s for a date?” Laila asked. Rabbit didn’t have to look up to know she was smirking. She could feel the expression on her friend’s face just as easily as she could feel the heat in her own cheeks.
           “Th-then th-at’d feel r-real…” She mumbled. “B-but it’s n-ot like I h-have one. Or… Or l-ike I w-want one, ei-ther. It’d be a r-really b-bad e-excuse to g-get g-gussied up.”
           “Yeah, I suppose you’re right,” Laila responded in mock dejection. “Piss poor excuse indeed. But we could always go on a friend date. Just the two of us. Maybe end it with a nice evening to ourselves, too,” she said, ending with a singsong note.
           “You are i-inc-corrigible,” Rabbit said, shooting Laila a glance.
           “Says the one who ambushed me in the shower at work a few days ago,” Laila quipped in that same singsong tone.
           Letting out an annoyed grunt, Rabbit pulled back her hips and slammed them into Laila, sending her stumbling to the side as she howled with laughter. The noise disturbed a few yanma who had been lazing in the sunlight. They scattered, while Korso interpreted their feelings of surprise and disgust in flashes of yellow and murky green in Rabbit’s head.
           “Oh so that’s how it’s gonna be, huh?” Laila said. Her grin was wild as she caught her feet under her. “You are seriously going to regret that,” she continued, and pounced at Rabbit with grasping hands.
    The shorter woman yelped and danced to the side. She slipped along some of the braided vines holding the pathway up, out of Laila’s reach. The ground stretched far below her, but she paid it no mind, focused only on Laila.
           “Cheater!” Laila called, one foot placed uncertain on the vines. “Get back here you little monkey! I’ll noogie you! I swear I will.”
           “Isn’t it c-c-counterproductive to t-tell me t-to come b-ack and als-o th-threaten to n-noogie me if I d-do?” Rabbit asked, cocking her head and grinning.
           “I’ll counter your productivity! With my fist!” Laila yelled, grinning as well. “Stop bringing logic into fake fights!”
           “Y-you m-ean s-stop w-winning f-fake f-fights with my l-logic?”
           “Yes! That! Now get back here or I’ll… I’ll… Oh crap,” Laila’s eyes went wide.
           With a frown, Rabbit turned about and wished she hadn’t.
           “A-a-a-ariados,” she let out a squeak, and stumbled back on her vine. The large, red spider Pokemon had slipped down from the treetops and clambered on the trunk near Rabbit’s head. It sat in place, eyeing her.
           Within a millisecond Korso was in Rabbit’s mind, detangling the panic that had formed to the best of his abilities, but the Pokemon’s appearance had been too sudden.
           “Rabbit, look out!” She heard Laila’s voice at the same time as her foot came down without vine to support it. There was that awful jolting sensation like when you step on a stair that isn’t there. Then, she was falling.
           Falling wasn’t a new experience for Rabbit. She went clambering in treetops often enough that tripping and falling was a common occurrence. Usually she found a foothold, or something to grab onto. On those occasions she came away sore, but usually none the worse for wear. Sometimes, however, they just weren’t there. Sometimes she came away with a broken ankle, or arm, or wrist. She’d survived each one, obviously, but those had been small falls. This was at the canopy, and the canopy stretched high in Iuthar village.
           With all that running through her mind, she didn’t even notice as her fingers slipped past the vines. She’d been surrounded by so many vines, it was astonishing she hadn’t been able to grab a single one. Yet there she was, watching them whizz past her hands, none of them coming the least bit close. If she could reach out the teeniest bit, maybe she could- But no, they were already gone, weren’t they? This was it, then. An ariados and a dumb joke would be her end. This was-
           Something gripped Rabbit’s arm and she felt herself jolt, stopping all at once. At the same time she felt something in her shoulder pop, and then someone was yelling directly in her ear.
           “Rabbit! RABBIT! Quit screaming! We’ve got you, alright? You’re not falling!” It was Laila’s voice. Rabbit blinked up to see her friend’s face screwed up with strain.
Screaming? Was she screaming? Oh, she was. She could feel her throat going raw. Why was she screaming? Rabbit clamped her mouth shut, and the answer hit her all at once as her shoulder seemed to light on fire. Oh. Right. Pain. That would explain the screaming.
   “Sh-shoulder. F-fuck. Sh-shoulder!” Rabbit could barely speak above a whisper as she felt the strain on her arm.
           “What? Your shoulder…? Oh shit, dislocated?” Laila asked, eyes going wide.
Rabbit nodded in response, squeezing her eyes shut. She’d clenched her teeth to keep from bursting Laila’s eardrums with her cries of pain, but even then she was having to work to level her breathing. Somewhere in the back of her mind she could feel Korso working to calm her and push away the pain, but his touch was light, as if he was focusing on more than one thing at once.
   “Hang on, I gotcha,” Laila said, and Rabbit felt a wooden ledge scrape across her arm, then press against her chest. She blinked up to find Laila heaving her up onto the pathway once more, and realized their hands had been stuck together by sticky strands of goop.
   “S-string sh-ot,” Rabbit mumbled through her clenched teeth.
           “Yep. Better be thanking Korso, cuz I’m pretty sure he saved both our asses big time right here.”
           Clambering to her feet and looking closer, Rabbit realized Laila was covered almost head to toe with the webbing. Nearby, the ariados was looking dazed, and Korso had his paws to his forehead, little weasel face screwed up in concentration.
           “K-korso… Sss-saved us?” Sha asked, blinking away the spots in her vision caused by pain.
           “It was a group effort, from what I understand,” Laila said, leaning over Rabbit. “How’s your arm?”
           “Hurt.” Bringing attention back to it wasn’t helping, either.
           “Yeah?” Laila licked her lips and grimaced. “Well this isn’t gonna be any more pleasant. Brace.”
           Realization hitting, Rabbit did as she was told, trying to ignore how her arm was swinging around outside her influence. She felt Laila’s hand on her other shoulder, pressing hard, followed by pressure on her dislocated shoulder and-
           “FUCKING HELL!” Rabbit screamed, a flash of white hot light blinding her for a moment, before fading with agonizing slowness.
           A door opened nearby, and Laila turned to spot someone peeking out of their treehouse, looking curious. She ignored them and turned back, looking Rabbit over like a mother hen.
           “How’s it feeling? Gonna live?”
           “Th-think so. ‘S g-g-gonna be s-sore, b-but n-nothing I c-can’t ha-andle. Had w-orse,” Rabbit said, rubbing the tender flesh as she stood.
           “Think you can still wait tables with me?”
           “Y-eah. I’ll b-be alright. J-ust h-hurts.”
           “Good,” Laila said, putting her arm around Rabbit and leading her away. “Then let’s get you to the Heart Home, the elevator’s nearby. I think if they’ve gone this long without your help they’ll survive for the rest of the night. Still, would hate to have made you get gussied up for nothing.”
           “A-alright. I th-think I c-can agree to th-that…” Rabbit said, feeling a wave of exhaustion hit as she came off the adrenaline high.
           “Oh, and one more thing,” Laila said, hugging Rabbit closer.
           “Wha- ACK!” Rabbit sputtered as Laila’s knuckles dug into her skull, the taller woman catching her in a headlock.
           “Don’t you EVER do that to me again, you hear me?” Laila growled, letting go at last. “Seriously, I almost wet myself, and that is NOT cool.”
           “I won’t, I w-won’t!” Rabbit conceded, holding up her hands in surrender. “I p-p-p… P-p…”
           “PROMISE!” Iggs interjected, following after the two as they stepped onto the wooden, vine powered elevator.
           “Y-yeah, th-that.”
           Down below mechanics began to rattle and the wooden elevator was whisked away to the ground. Laila wiped away a single tear, and leaned forward to kiss Rabbit on the forehead, looking tired and relieved and covered in spider silk. A little ways away, an ariados came out of its trance. It scuttled back and forth on the wooden platform, looking around, before shaking itself off and crawling back into the treetops once more.

Description
body div#devskin0 hr { }

Bram Causefobrel Presents:
A Pokemon Biome Event:
Tracking through the Mud:
A Summer Solstice Celebration

Part 1

           “You w-ant me to w-w-w-“
           “Work, yes.”
           Late evening light filtered through the window, into the hotel manager’s office. It glinted off the polished wooden surface of her desk, catching Rabbit’s eye and making her squint at the glare. She stood before that desk, watching the hotel manager, Mrs. Namsek, with close knit brows. Her eyes flickered over the room, looking for any respite that might tell her she was being played a cruel prank. All they fell on, however, was natural, wooden furniture, some growing out of the very walls and floor, molded from the still living wood. Plants draped from almost every surface, pots hanging from the ceiling on naturally formed hooks. Their contents flourished in the rich sunlight that was let in during the day when the skylight was uncovered, cared for with an affection most would reserve for their own children. Nestled among them and hanging from a high corner was a woven hammock, which Rabbit’s eye trailed to.
Over her time working at the Treetop she’d woken in that hammock more often than she cared to admit, having fallen asleep on the job as frequent as she did. It had become a place of safety for her, and now, after the nightmares that had given her such fitful rest the night previous, she couldn’t help but regard it with a longing eye.
           “The wait staff is short for the solstice event. Flora got called away on vacation by her parents, and I need someone reliable to fill in. I know you’re capable, Rabbit. You’ve filled in for the waiters on short notice before, and I’ll make sure you’re mostly serving instead of taking orders,” Mrs Namsek said. She’d pulled a pitcher of water from under her desk and begun fussing with some of the plants, brushing away at them. Nearby, on a little fluffy bed just for it, her ledyba gave a yawn and shifted in its sleep.
           Grimacing, Rabbit leaned forward and chewed at her lower lip. “M-Miss… Ma-a’am. I… I know I’ve f-filled in b-before, b-but… Th-this is the s-olstice f-f-festival! I-I can d-o something sh-ort n-notice s-sometimes, b-but this is…”
           “One of the busiest weeks of the year, I know,” Mrs. Namsek looked up, flashing Rabbit a reassuring smile. “Which is why it’s important that I have you serving at least a few of the nights. We’re going to be jam packed, and if we’re shorthanded we’ll need as many people as we can get. I even have Laila working with you. I’ll be handling the front desk with Winry in her place.”
           “I-I’m n-not a s-server, though!” Rabbit protested. “Th-the kitchen n-needs me, d-don’t they? I-if I’m n-not th-there, wh-who’s gonna b-be doing p-p-p… They’re gonna n-need a…”
           “Prep!” A voice called out, making Rabbit flinch and look up into the jungle of plants above her head. She’d forgotten Iggs was out of her pokeball. The colorful little bird had taken roost in one of the pots and was looking down at her with a curious but otherwise blank expression.
           “Y-yeah, th-at…” Rabbit said, a tired waver in her voice.
            Mrs. Namsek took a moment to return her attention from the chatot, her lips pulled into a grimace, looking a little worse for wear after the surprise. “Francisco can… He can go a day or two without you, Rabbit. He’s done it before, after all. And if you’re that worried, you know you’re allowed to come in early to help out. Shorthanded is shorthanded, after all.”
            “M-rs. Namsek…” Rabbit said, pleading, but the woman was already shaking her head.
            “Rabbit I need you on this. We’re going to be under pressure as is, and I need as few hold ups as I can get. With you I know the likelihood of you dropping a plate or spilling food is next to none. I know you’re scared, but you’ve been making progress in leaps and bounds lately, and you’ll be allowed to have Iggs and Korso with you at all times. I have full confidence that you can do this. You’re allowed to say no, but I would be incredibly grateful if you agreed to do this.”
            The two met eyes, and it was all Rabbit could do to keep from ripping her gaze away. Mrs. Namsek had been good to her over the years. Even with all the problems Rabbit could cause she’d been steadfast in the young woman saying on and making her feel as welcomed as she could. Even with her odd sleeping tendencies the usual reaction was to set her up in the hammock or a spare room and let her sleep it through. Now she was needed more than ever. With all that in mind she simply couldn’t refuse.
           Letting out a sigh, Rabbit lowered her head and gave a dejected nod.

***************

           “So, how’d it go?” Laila grinned at Rabbit as she crossed the distance between them in the back room with only a few strides. She’d been in the middle of changing into her regular clothes after a shower, and her hair still hadn’t been pinned back and wrapped under her hijab. Candy blue stands of it that matched Rabbit’s own pink were colored dark with damp that still hadn’t dried, and was pressed almost flat against her head. It resisted against the laws of gravity with its curly nature, but could do little with the excess weight of water, just managing to make ripples along her scalp.
           “W-what?” Rabbit blinked up at her friend, more than half a foot taller than herself. She was all of a sudden aware of the uncomfortable sticky feeling on her skin, and the fact that Laila was wearing little more than a bra and underwear. Maybe she could be convinced to take another shower? Both their shifts were over after all.
           “You were talking with Norah, right? How’d it go?”
           “M-mrs. Namsek?” Rabbit grimaced, looking uncomfortable. “Y-yeah I t-alked to her… H-how did you n-know that?”
           “She talked to me too, remember?” Laila grinned, slipping into a pair of pants while Rabbit’s hopes slipped down a bit further. “I may have mentioned you as well. Or at least hinted that getting someone who is really cute and dexterous was probably a good idea…”
           “W-wait, w-what?” Rabbit rounded on Laila, advancing with one pointed finger. Y-you mean y-ou’re the reason M-rs. Namsek c-called me t-to w-work the h-oliday shi-ift!?”
           Despite herself Laila was still grinning, holding her hands up defensively, hijab hanging from a thumb. Her brows knit together in a guilty expression and she leaned away from her shorter friend.
           “Awh c’mon, Rabbit! It’s no biggie! You know it’s way more fun to work with a friend than to get conscripted into some job with people you don’t really know. The only waitress I know is Hailey, and that’s more like I got in a battle with her and she lost so now she owes me fifty poke.” None of what Laila said was helped by her guilt ridden grin, but she wasn’t backing down, either.
           Rabbit glared at her for a moment, cheeks puffed up in anger, before blowing out a sigh and slumping forward. “F-iiiiine,” she groaned. With a tug at her work uniform, she stripped down and let it drop to the floor. Even as prep, working in a kitchen was hot and exhausting.
           “B-but you owe me,” Rabbit said, turning the pointed finger on Laila again.
           “Sure thing, babe, anything you ask.” Laila didn’t even try to hide how her eyes ran up and down Rabbit’s body, or the grin spreading across her lips. Rabbit returned the stare with a half lidded, flat look of her own, before grabbing Laila’s hand.
           “Y-you’re t-aking a sh-ower w-with me,” she said, dragging the taller woman with her.
           “What-? Awh- I just took one, Rabbit!” Laila protested, stumbling along behind.
           “T-too bad. Y-ou’re the o-one who s-said a-anything I a-ask!” Rabbit stopped in her tracks, staring down at the floor, feeling her face go hot. “I-I mean you d-on’t have to… I j-just thought it’d b-be n-nice…”
           “Rabbit!” Laila’s voice broke through, and Rabbit looked up, realizing Laila was gripping her hand with as much strength as she had been moments before. “It’s fine, really. I was just giving you a hard time. It’s been hot today, I wouldn’t mind another shower.”
           A grin to match Laila’s own spread across Rabbit’s face. She grabbed Laila’s other hand and started walking backwards, pulling her friend along. “C-c’mon, then! S-slowpoke!”
           “Ohhh noooo!” Laila groaned, digging her heels in and only barely hiding her smirk. “My legs have gone like jelly after all that work todaaaaay! I can’t move I’m gonna fall I’m gonna-“ She cut out into a burst of laughter as Rabbit pulled her forward, off balance, and caught her, returning the smile.
           “Hi there,” Laila grinned.
           “H-hey,” Rabbit smiled back. She let out a squeak as Laila leaned forward and kissed her, and the two fell backwards into the shower, giggling all the way down.

***************

           Wood shavings fluttered to the deck of Rabbit’s front porch. With each movement of her knife they curled at her fingertips, brushing against her skin. At the end of the stroke they fell away, joining the rest in a little pile at her feet. Every motion was mechanical, her eyes running up and down. The little knife flashed in the setting summer sun, its heat pleasant on her dark skin. Each slide forming a scraping rhythm that she fell into like breathing. The smell of fresh cut yew met her nose, mixed with the usual smells of the forest around her, and she felt herself smile. A pause, and she raised a glass to her lips, lemon iced tea, herbal and tangy, with just a touch of sweet.
           A burst of mischief and golden sparkles flickered in her mind as she set down the glass. Rabbit let out a yelp and lifted her feet as a little white body crashed into the pile of wood shavings. Curly wood flew everywhere, tossed this way and that as the furry creature writhed among them. As sudden as it had started all movement froze for a moment as the ralts stared off at nothing in particular, his lanky body held tense, and his ears twitching. Then, he turned to her with beady little eyes and gold and salmon joy blossomed in her mind and he went back to playing.
           Smiling, Rabbit adjusted her grip on the long block of wood she’d been carving, moving it out of his way. Her knife pressed against the flesh of the block once more and she resumed her activity. Each shaving that fell was snapped at by Korso in his joyous dance, and each one brought another twinkle to her eye.
           Nearby there was a small chuff of exhaled breath. It came from the form of the big ninetails with her curly fur, lounging in a pseudo slumber under the eaves of Rabbit’s hut of a tree house. As she heard it, Rabbit glanced up to find Laila walking down the way, a bag under one arm, whistling to herself. Flickers of light danced around her, telling Rabbit that Skai was out of her pokeball and accompanying her friend.
           “Hey! Rabbit! Franny called me, wanted me to ask if you’d be helping cook at Heart Home tonight. They’ve got the champ back in town,” Laila said with a waved greeting.
           An image of Rabbit’s own shoulder flickered through her mind. A frown crossed her face and she stuck out a leg, Korso clambering up to find perch next to her head, her eyes never leaving Laila. “C-coulda called m-me,” she said. “D-didn’t need y-you to t-trouble yourself.”
           “Well he said he did, but you weren’t picking up,” Laila stopped on the porch, leaning over to pick up the cell phone left on a chair nearby. “Yep, you set it to silent again and forgot about it,” she said, tapping at its see through surface. “Seriously, Rabbit, you need to upgrade. This phone is, like, five years old.”
           Cheeks flushing, Rabbit busied herself with her wood carving. “I l-like it, th-ough.”
           “Doesn’t mean there aren’t waaaay better ones out there. Yours doesn’t even have holographic capabilities. I remember you came back from the tundra babbling about how cool those were, and they sent a shipment of the newest prototypes a week ago. I could get you one, if you want.”
           “L-last time you d-id that I b-broke it…” Rabbit picked at a wood shaving that had gotten stuck in her sock as Korso nuzzled her cheek. “I w-wouldn’t wanna p-p-“
           “PUT!” Iggs shrieked from a perch in the trees, making both Rabbit and Laila jump.
           “R-right, uh… Th-at… Except, n-o… I m-ean, y-you sh-shouldn’t be d-oing stuff like th-at for m-me if it’s j-ust going to g-get b-broken…”
           “Yeah, except they need walking tech bane like you in order to better understand how to keep the delicate parts from breaking. Honestly you’re doing them a service,” Laila grinned, Skai’s electric current flickering around her fingers as she tapped at the phone. Every once in a while a flash of teeth or a strange looking eye would appear, only lasting for a fraction of a second before disappearing once more. Rabbit shuddered, leaning away. On her shoulder, Korso made a little spitting noise, and scrambled down, looking all the world like mercury flowing down Rabbit’s side.
           “So, you coming to help cook or not? Cuz they needed you there, like, three hours ago,” Laila said, looking up and regarding Rabbit with a grin.
           “Shit,” Rabbit’s eyes went wide. She was on her feet in a moment, brushing any remaining wood shavings from her lap.
The door to her house slammed behind her as she dashed inside. Jarres stood up from her spot and gave a luxurious yawn, showing off a curling tongue and quite a few disconcerting, white teeth as a clattering arose from Rabbit’s hut. Each of her tails was given special attention, stretched and shaken individually as Laila gave a grin and squatted next to her.
           “Hey there, Jarres,” she said, ruffling the fox Pokemon behind her ears, which the ninetails leaned into. “Wanna meet with your dad today?”
           At Laila’s question Jarres pulled away and shot the tall woman an unimpressed look, positively brimming with disgust.
           “Alright, I get it,” Laila chuckled. “Yeah he’s not the easiest to get along with, is he?” Jarres snorted, letting out a lick of flame from her nostrils, as if to comment on Laila’s under exaggeration, and Laila let out another chuckle.
           “Still, I know even if you two don’t get along great, he does appreciate seeing you. He appreciates all his kids, even if he sucks at showin’ it.” Jarres’ expression didn’t change, and Laila gave a shrug in response. “Alright, was just asking.”
           Something crashed from inside the hut, and Laila stood, a look of concern on her face.
           “Hey Rabbit, everything alright?” She asked, eyeing the door handle.
           “F-fine! J-j-just kn-ocked over my s-screen. D-did a d-domin-no effect and t-toppled some-“
           “POTS!” Iggs piped in from atop the roof.
           “Yeah th-those!”
           Laila eyed the hut for a moment longer, before shrugging. “Well so long as you’re-“ She didn’t get to finish the sentence, however, as the door swung open.
           The taller woman’s eyes went wide and her jaw dropped as she spotted Rabbit standing just inside the frame. She wore her hair back in a braid she’d put it in to keep it out of her face for wood carving, her bangs on the right side left to hang free and cover the cigarette burns on her brow. Now, however, it was accompanied by a blue, strapless dress, the murkrow feather hair clip Rabbit had made a few months ago, and her usual golden locket. She’d touched up her makeup in record time as well, giving a soft glow to her dark skin, topped off by glossy red lips.
           “Arceus, Rabbit, I thought you were just gonna help cook…”
           “I’m w-working the f-festival! I d-don’t g-et to d-dress up how I w-wanna. Th-this is my o-only ch-chance to do something f-fancy this s-eason,” Rabbit explained, taking Laila’s arm and leading her away.
           Korso bounced along beside Rabbit and Laila, looking happy as could be. Rabbit could feel a message pass between him and Jarres. The ninetails stretched again before taking Rabbit’s woodcarving project in gentle jaws and slipping down into the platform beneath Rabbit’s house. Above, Iggs noticed her human leaving, and took flight to follow, always eager for a little bit of exercise and exploration.
           “You know there will be plenty of chances to dress up fancy than just this,” Laila quipped as the two of them walked arm in arm. Their footsteps echoed against the raised, wooden platforms and pathways that made up Iuthar village.
   Said pathways traversed the treetops, some aligning with and resting upon branches underneath them, but just as many hanging freely if not for the many woven vines keeping them aloft. Huts much like Rabbit’s own could be seen here and there, although some of them were much bigger than hers. They sported multiple levels, and extra rooms. Patios and decks could be seen on some of them, some even with pools or hot tubs built in.
   Those were the ones that made Rabbit’s eyes go wide in wonder at how anyone could live in such a giant place without getting lost. She’d always been fonder of the respectable homes built for families than the huge mansions. They were more common, as well. On most occasions no more than a single story, with enough rooms to survive but no more. She’d wanted one of her own, someday. She had to admit, however, that they weren’t as eye catching as the mansions…
   “Earth to Rabbit. Anyone in there?” Laila snapped her fingers in front of Rabbit’s eyes.
   The shorter woman blinked, drawing her eyes away from one of the larger buildings. “W-wha-?”
   “Mew’s left nut, but you’re out of it today. I was saying you don’t need an excuse to dress up like this. You can do it anytime you want, you know?”
           Rabbit flushed, looking away. “I n-know…” She mumbled, reaching up to thumb at the golden locket around her throat. “B-but it d-doesn’t f-feel as r-real if it’s n-ot for an ev-v-vent or s-omething.”
           “And what if it’s for a date?” Laila asked. Rabbit didn’t have to look up to know she was smirking. She could feel the expression on her friend’s face just as easily as she could feel the heat in her own cheeks.
           “Th-then th-at’d feel r-real…” She mumbled. “B-but it’s n-ot like I h-have one. Or… Or l-ike I w-want one, ei-ther. It’d be a r-really b-bad e-excuse to g-get g-gussied up.”
           “Yeah, I suppose you’re right,” Laila responded in mock dejection. “Piss poor excuse indeed. But we could always go on a friend date. Just the two of us. Maybe end it with a nice evening to ourselves, too,” she said, ending with a singsong note.
           “You are i-inc-corrigible,” Rabbit said, shooting Laila a glance.
           “Says the one who ambushed me in the shower at work a few days ago,” Laila quipped in that same singsong tone.
           Letting out an annoyed grunt, Rabbit pulled back her hips and slammed them into Laila, sending her stumbling to the side as she howled with laughter. The noise disturbed a few yanma who had been lazing in the sunlight. They scattered, while Korso interpreted their feelings of surprise and disgust in flashes of yellow and murky green in Rabbit’s head.
           “Oh so that’s how it’s gonna be, huh?” Laila said. Her grin was wild as she caught her feet under her. “You are seriously going to regret that,” she continued, and pounced at Rabbit with grasping hands.
    The shorter woman yelped and danced to the side. She slipped along some of the braided vines holding the pathway up, out of Laila’s reach. The ground stretched far below her, but she paid it no mind, focused only on Laila.
           “Cheater!” Laila called, one foot placed uncertain on the vines. “Get back here you little monkey! I’ll noogie you! I swear I will.”
           “Isn’t it c-c-counterproductive to t-tell me t-to come b-ack and als-o th-threaten to n-noogie me if I d-do?” Rabbit asked, cocking her head and grinning.
           “I’ll counter your productivity! With my fist!” Laila yelled, grinning as well. “Stop bringing logic into fake fights!”
           “Y-you m-ean s-stop w-winning f-fake f-fights with my l-logic?”
           “Yes! That! Now get back here or I’ll… I’ll… Oh crap,” Laila’s eyes went wide.
           With a frown, Rabbit turned about and wished she hadn’t.
           “A-a-a-ariados,” she let out a squeak, and stumbled back on her vine. The large, red spider Pokemon had slipped down from the treetops and clambered on the trunk near Rabbit’s head. It sat in place, eyeing her.
           Within a millisecond Korso was in Rabbit’s mind, detangling the panic that had formed to the best of his abilities, but the Pokemon’s appearance had been too sudden.
           “Rabbit, look out!” She heard Laila’s voice at the same time as her foot came down without vine to support it. There was that awful jolting sensation like when you step on a stair that isn’t there. Then, she was falling.
           Falling wasn’t a new experience for Rabbit. She went clambering in treetops often enough that tripping and falling was a common occurrence. Usually she found a foothold, or something to grab onto. On those occasions she came away sore, but usually none the worse for wear. Sometimes, however, they just weren’t there. Sometimes she came away with a broken ankle, or arm, or wrist. She’d survived each one, obviously, but those had been small falls. This was at the canopy, and the canopy stretched high in Iuthar village.
           With all that running through her mind, she didn’t even notice as her fingers slipped past the vines. She’d been surrounded by so many vines, it was astonishing she hadn’t been able to grab a single one. Yet there she was, watching them whizz past her hands, none of them coming the least bit close. If she could reach out the teeniest bit, maybe she could- But no, they were already gone, weren’t they? This was it, then. An ariados and a dumb joke would be her end. This was-
           Something gripped Rabbit’s arm and she felt herself jolt, stopping all at once. At the same time she felt something in her shoulder pop, and then someone was yelling directly in her ear.
           “Rabbit! RABBIT! Quit screaming! We’ve got you, alright? You’re not falling!” It was Laila’s voice. Rabbit blinked up to see her friend’s face screwed up with strain.
Screaming? Was she screaming? Oh, she was. She could feel her throat going raw. Why was she screaming? Rabbit clamped her mouth shut, and the answer hit her all at once as her shoulder seemed to light on fire. Oh. Right. Pain. That would explain the screaming.
   “Sh-shoulder. F-fuck. Sh-shoulder!” Rabbit could barely speak above a whisper as she felt the strain on her arm.
           “What? Your shoulder…? Oh shit, dislocated?” Laila asked, eyes going wide.
Rabbit nodded in response, squeezing her eyes shut. She’d clenched her teeth to keep from bursting Laila’s eardrums with her cries of pain, but even then she was having to work to level her breathing. Somewhere in the back of her mind she could feel Korso working to calm her and push away the pain, but his touch was light, as if he was focusing on more than one thing at once.
   “Hang on, I gotcha,” Laila said, and Rabbit felt a wooden ledge scrape across her arm, then press against her chest. She blinked up to find Laila heaving her up onto the pathway once more, and realized their hands had been stuck together by sticky strands of goop.
   “S-string sh-ot,” Rabbit mumbled through her clenched teeth.
           “Yep. Better be thanking Korso, cuz I’m pretty sure he saved both our asses big time right here.”
           Clambering to her feet and looking closer, Rabbit realized Laila was covered almost head to toe with the webbing. Nearby, the ariados was looking dazed, and Korso had his paws to his forehead, little weasel face screwed up in concentration.
           “K-korso… Sss-saved us?” Sha asked, blinking away the spots in her vision caused by pain.
           “It was a group effort, from what I understand,” Laila said, leaning over Rabbit. “How’s your arm?”
           “Hurt.” Bringing attention back to it wasn’t helping, either.
           “Yeah?” Laila licked her lips and grimaced. “Well this isn’t gonna be any more pleasant. Brace.”
           Realization hitting, Rabbit did as she was told, trying to ignore how her arm was swinging around outside her influence. She felt Laila’s hand on her other shoulder, pressing hard, followed by pressure on her dislocated shoulder and-
           “FUCKING HELL!” Rabbit screamed, a flash of white hot light blinding her for a moment, before fading with agonizing slowness.
           A door opened nearby, and Laila turned to spot someone peeking out of their treehouse, looking curious. She ignored them and turned back, looking Rabbit over like a mother hen.
           “How’s it feeling? Gonna live?”
           “Th-think so. ‘S g-g-gonna be s-sore, b-but n-nothing I c-can’t ha-andle. Had w-orse,” Rabbit said, rubbing the tender flesh as she stood.
           “Think you can still wait tables with me?”
           “Y-eah. I’ll b-be alright. J-ust h-hurts.”
           “Good,” Laila said, putting her arm around Rabbit and leading her away. “Then let’s get you to the Heart Home, the elevator’s nearby. I think if they’ve gone this long without your help they’ll survive for the rest of the night. Still, would hate to have made you get gussied up for nothing.”
           “A-alright. I th-think I c-can agree to th-that…” Rabbit said, feeling a wave of exhaustion hit as she came off the adrenaline high.
           “Oh, and one more thing,” Laila said, hugging Rabbit closer.
           “Wha- ACK!” Rabbit sputtered as Laila’s knuckles dug into her skull, the taller woman catching her in a headlock.
           “Don’t you EVER do that to me again, you hear me?” Laila growled, letting go at last. “Seriously, I almost wet myself, and that is NOT cool.”
           “I won’t, I w-won’t!” Rabbit conceded, holding up her hands in surrender. “I p-p-p… P-p…”
           “PROMISE!” Iggs interjected, following after the two as they stepped onto the wooden, vine powered elevator.
           “Y-yeah, th-that.”
           Down below mechanics began to rattle and the wooden elevator was whisked away to the ground. Laila wiped away a single tear, and leaned forward to kiss Rabbit on the forehead, looking tired and relieved and covered in spider silk. A little ways away, an ariados came out of its trance. It scuttled back and forth on the wooden platform, looking around, before shaking itself off and crawling back into the treetops once more.